The Playbook

  “It’s more than that, though isn’t it, Coach? They’re learning life lessons not only from you, but from the whole U of A football team.”

  With a nod, I responded. “Yeah, the whole team comes out and helps with these kids and something magical happens. I think it’s a life lesson all the way around for everyone.”

  “Coach, I know it’s not a requirement for your college football players to volunteer with these kids, but every single guy on the team does. That has to make you proud of your guys and what they are doing, not only on the field, but off as well.”

  “Very proud. I’ve got a great group of young men who make me proud to say I’m their head football coach.”

  “Speaking of the U of A football team, have you put the stress of spring practice and who would be your starting quarterback behind you? And what are you focusing on for that first game with Notre Dame?”

  My hand stabbed through my hair. I couldn’t help but notice how it caused Aubrey to catch her breath. “Yeah, I mean all the drama surrounding the starting quarterback was hyped up more by the media then me or my staff. We had two great kids who, honestly, are both good enough to be the starting quarterback. At this point, I’m not ruling anything out. Our focus right now is staying healthy and going out there and doing what I know we can do. And that’s win.”

  She lifted her eyebrows. “Does that mean you’ll change your mind before the opening game against Notre Dame on who will be starting as quarterback?”

  “I’m not sure what I’ll do, we’re still a month out from that.”

  Aubrey nodded. “Number twenty-seven still seems to be favoring that right knee. How confident are you that he’ll be healed up and ready for that season opener?”

  With a smirk, I responded, “He’ll be ready. No doubt about that.”

  “How do you feel about your defensive line? Last year there was some talk it would be weaker with you losing half of it to graduating seniors and the draft.”

  Taking in a deep breath, I glanced over to the next reporter. That was my way of saying I was ready to move on. Every good sideline reporter knew when the coach was ready to keep it moving. It wasn’t her questions that was getting to me. It was the smell of her goddamn perfume. And the fact that I wanted to kiss her. Take her back to my office and fuck the living hell out of her.

  “I feel great about our defensive line. It’s stronger than ever. Thanks, Aubrey.”

  “Thank you so much, Coach Owens, for your time. Good luck this season and, of course, with Bright Futures.”

  With a quick wink, I replied, “Thanks.”

  Taking a step away, Aubrey dropped her mic and stared at me. Our gaze locked for a moment before the next reporter stepped up and the whole process started over again.

  I had no fucking clue how I made it through the next thirty minutes. The moment the last reporter thanked me, I turned and headed over to both teams. After a quick talk, I grabbed my bag and headed out of the stadium. The sooner I got the hell out of here, the better.

  MY CHIN RESTED on my knees as I looked out over the lake. My parents had rented a lake house for everyone to celebrate Marie and Harry’s upcoming wedding. I had cut a deal with Holly Richards for her to cover my game the weekend of my sister’s wedding. In exchange, I had to go to some function at the end of the college season. I had half-heartily listened to her when she said what it was. All I knew was it meant being off for my sister’s wedding, and I wouldn’t have to hear my mother complaining about me missing it for a football game.

  “You’re deep in thought.”

  Glancing up, I grinned as my mother handed me beer. “Thanks.”

  “Where you thinking about Brett?”

  I quickly darted my eyes back to the water. “Mom, please. Don’t do this again.”

  I’d told my mother everything about what happened with Senator Dryer and Brett. She had offered to dig up dirt on Ryan, but I declined. The next day she told me she had called Brett. He declined as well. Seems like he’ll talk to anyone but me.

  “Fine. We won’t talk about Brett.”

  “Thank you. Because in case you forgot, I’m dating Logan.”

  My sisters walked up and gathered around us. Marie sat first. “What are we talking about?”

  Letting out a chuckle, my mother answered, “Well, we are certainly not talking about Brett Owens.”

  Marie placed her hand over her chest. “Oh, god. That fine piece of male meat. Damn, Bree, you messed up big time with that one.”

  I hit her leg. “Shut up. We should be talking about your wedding.”

  Nelly plopped onto my lap, making me grunt. “Hell no. I want to hear more about hottie Brett. Tell us how good the sex was, Bree!”

  Shooting her a dirty look, I pleaded, “Please, have you all forgotten that I have a boyfriend who happens to be here?” I glared at my mother, after all, it was because of her we were even saying Brett’s name.

  She shrugged and took a drink of her wine.

  Nelly let out a roar of laughter. “Oh, yeah, because you’d much rather shag him over Brett.”

  I gave Nelly a good push, causing her to hit the ground with a thud. She laughed and jumped up. She tried like hell to pull me out of the chair and into the lake.

  “Girls! Stop it right now before someone gets hurt,” my mother called out.

  Christine rubbed her very pregnant belly as she laughed. “You’ll make me go into labor and I really want to enjoy this vacation, so knock it off, you two.”

  Nelly gave me a look like she had won as she let her hold of my wrist go, sending me back down into my chair. “Wait until later,” I threatened.

  She lifted her hands and said, “Oh, I’m shaking!”

  “Will you girls stop it,” our mother pleaded, turning to Christine. “Darling, are you feeling okay?”

  With a sweet smile, my older sister nodded her head. “I feel amazing, Mom.”

  My chest tightened as I glanced down at her hand rubbing over my sweet little niece or nephew. My sister and Ralph had decided to not find out the sex of their second child. It drove my mother insane because all she wanted to do was shop for her future grandchild.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off her hand, resting on her unborn child.

  “Did I tell you Harry and I decided to try right away for a baby?” Marie said. Everyone started cheering, especially my mother.

  “Oh, thank you, Lord. Another grandbaby!”

  Marie grinned from ear to ear.

  “Our kids can grow up together, Marie!” Christine said.

  With the threat of tears looming, I glanced back out of the water. The boat the guys had taken out earlier came into view. Nelly’s boyfriend of two months was at the wheel.

  “I hope Ben knows how to drive that thing,” I verbalized, knowing it would goad Nelly on.

  She didn’t utter a word. As they got closer, Logan held up a handful of fish.

  “Looks like we won’t starve tonight ladies,” Mom said as she stood up and waved. “Come on girls, let’s go say hi to our guys.”

  Everyone else stood, well everyone but Christine. Chuckling, I helped her out of the chair. They all headed over to the dock, but I was frozen in place. For some reason, my heart ached.

  “Bree? Baby, are you okay?”

  Facing my mother, I plastered on that famous fake smile I had nailed so many years ago. “I’m fine.”

  Lifting her brow, she tilted her head. “Is everything okay with you and Logan?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I think so,” I replied with a slight shrug.

  Tears built in my eyes as my mother pulled me into her arms. I knew she liked Logan, but even she told me one night when she had drunk too much wine, she liked Brett better.

  So. Did. I.

  Pushing me back, she looked at me. “It’s not fair to him if you don’t care for him like he cares for you.”

  I nodded. “I do care about him, Mom. I’m emotional this weekend, that’s all. You know. Marie getting married, Christine h
aving a baby. All of that.”

  “It will happen when God wants it to happen for you, Bree.”

  My eyes closed. “I know, Mom.” My chin trembled. “I thought it would be with him and I forced the idea on him. I drove him away from me because I got jealous! Like a stupid little teenage girl.”

  She pulled me into her arms. “Oh, darling, I saw the way Brett looked at you. He loved you and you can’t keep beating yourself up. You both really need to talk to each other for Pete’s sake.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “Am I interrupting?”

  I jerked back and wiped my tears away at the sound of Logan’s voice. “No! Not at all.”

  He looked at me funny. Something in his eyes was different, and I hoped like hell he hadn’t heard what my mother had said. Nelly told me I was crazy when I started dating Logan. He was the rebound guy. The rule was, fuck him, then leave him. The only problem was, Logan and I hadn’t even slept together yet. He had been so patient with me. I never told him about Brett, but he knew I was coming off a broken heart.

  “Happy tears,” I replied as I glanced back at my mother. She wore a fake smile and I was sure Logan knew I was lying.

  “You caught some fish I see,” I remarked, changing the subject.

  His chest puffed out. It didn’t take much to get Logan’s ego going. “I did. Your dad said I’m a natural fisherman.”

  My mother laughed. “If he thinks he can drag you out on that boat all day, he’ll tell you whatever you want to hear.”

  Logan tossed his head back and laughed. “I figured as much.”

  Draping his arm around my shoulders, we walked to the boat. Everything seemed to be fine with Logan. Thank goodness he didn’t overhear my mother and me talking.

  Dad and Harry were carrying the fish off the boat. Logan dropped his arm from me and grabbed the ice chest.

  “Where are you going next weekend?” Christine asked me out of the blue.

  I hadn’t wanted to think about the game next Saturday. It meant seeing Brett again and having to interview him again like nothing in the world was wrong.

  “Oklahoma. They’re playing Austin.”

  Logan dropped his arm from my shoulder and reached for my hand as he said, “I heard your friend Brett Owens is engaged—”

  I stopped walking and looked at him. “What?” My heart started racing. This was not happening.

  Oh. God. He really didn’t want to marry me. It was me all along. I wasn’t good enough for him. Maybe it was all a game to him. Something from his playbook to get me to sleep with him. My head started spinning.

  No. No! Brett wouldn’t do that.

  Nelly walked up to me and wrapped her arm around mine. “Oh my gosh, I totally forgot to tell you what I did for the shower.”

  Quickly pulling me ahead of everyone, she whispered, “Breathe. Bree, you have to breathe.”

  Everything was spinning. “He’s engaged. Nelly, he’s engaged?”

  Leaning in closer to me, she whispered, “You don’t know that for sure. Just please don’t freak out in front of Logan.”

  The moment we walked into the library of the house we were staying in, I broke down into tears.

  “He’s engaged, Nelly!” I cried out.

  She quickly sat at the computer and began typing. The knock at the door caused me to jump.

  “Aubrey? Is everything okay?”

  I couldn’t even talk. “All is fine, Logan! I’m just showing her something. We’ll be right out in a few minutes.”

  “Okay, but you I think misunderstood me. I—”

  Walking up to the door, I tried like hell to keep my voice normal. “It’s all good, babe! We’ll be right out, Nelly remembered to tell me something about the shower.”

  “O-okay.”

  Quickly walking over to Nelly, I leaned over and looked at the Google results.

  She clicked on a link. “See. You freaked out over nothing. If you had let him finish talking, he would have said this.”

  I scanned the article, looking for a picture of the bitch Brett had given his heart to.

  Nelly pointed and I read the title out loud, “Is Brett Owens engaging the idea of NFL? It’s a subject something the University of Austin is keeping hush hush about. It’s big enough, though, that it is taking Owens away from this weekend’s game in Oklahoma. Leaving the newly appointed assistant coach, Troy Rogers, to hopefully lead the team to victory.”

  I let out the breath I had been holding.

  “Jesus! Why would he quote the damn article title! What is the matter with him?” I whispered as Nelly started laughing. “It’s like he did it on purpose.”

  “You should have seen your face!”

  Narrowing my left eye at her, I shot her the finger. “Fuck you, Nelly!”

  She lifted her hand and wiped her tears from her face. “Oh, man, you still have it bad for Brett Owens, sis. Let’s hope your poor boyfriend didn’t pick up on that little freak out moment.”

  Nelly did another google search. “Doesn’t look like he is dating anyone.”

  Standing, she gave me a stern look. “Seriously, Bree. You need to move on or go after Brett. But this is insane.”

  I ran my hands down my face. I knew she was right. The second option wasn’t even really an option. Brett didn’t want me, and I wasn’t going to throw myself at him, or any man, for that matter. “There’s only one thing I can do to get over, Brett.” I said.

  Nelly’s face dropped. “You still haven’t?”

  Shaking my head, I replied. “No.”

  “Oh, Bree. How has Logan stayed with you for so long when he isn’t getting any?”

  My chin trembled. “Cause he’s a good guy.”

  Taking my hand in hers, she nodded. “He is. But he isn’t Brett. Are you truly ready to move on?”

  Sniffling, I dropped my face into my hands. All I needed was to cry it out, then I’d be ready to move on.

  That meant giving a part of myself to Logan. A part I knew in my heart would always belong to one man.

  “THE CANCER’S BACK.”

  Three words I never wanted to hear.

  Sitting in the chair, I stared out over the mountains. My father was having surgery tomorrow in Jackson Hole to remove his prostate. I didn’t care that it meant missing a game. I was going to be here for him no matter what. This time around with the cancer, things were going to be different. My parents were in a different state and all new doctors. I vowed I’d be here for them.

  “Look at that snow coming down,” Annie said.

  With a grunt, I took a drink of my beer.

  “Daddy is predicating this to be a hard winter.”

  I sat in silence as she talked about nothing. Half her words went in one ear and right back out the other.

  “Is there anyone you want me to call?”

  My head snapped over to her. “Like who?”

  With a shrug, she replied, “I don’t know. Somebody you’d like to let know about your dad.”

  “Everyone who needs to know, knows.”

  The way she was staring at me pissed me off. I smiled and then finished my beer. “I need to get to sleep. The surgery is at nine tomorrow, and I have a two hour drive.”

  “I can take you, if you don’t want to go to sleep yet. Maybe you’d like to drown your sorrows in another six pack of beer.”

  Standing, I ignored her comment. “Night, Annie.”

  I headed out of my father’s office and to the stairs.

  “You think once you get up there it will be any better?”

  “It will.”

  “How do you know that, Brett?”

  Stopping, I turned and looked down at Annie. She was standing at the bottom of the stairs. “What do you want from me? Because if you want me to open and confess to you how brokenhearted I am, you’ll be waiting a long time.” I smiled and took a few steps back down the stairs. “If you want me to rip that dress over your head and fuck you, I can do that too if it would get you to sh
ut up. Might even make me forget this for a few minutes.”

  The look on Annie’s face was one I couldn’t read. We’d been friends forever. She was like a sister to me. This was the first time I’d ever said anything sexual to her. I knew it was a shit thing to say, especially since she had recently left her cheating bastard of a husband.

  “Is that what you need, Brett? To fuck someone so you can feel better?”

  “Why? You offering?”

  “What if I said yes? Maybe I need a senseless fuck right about now too. I mean, my husband did it, why shouldn’t I?”

  I swallowed hard. Could I do it? Fuck Annie?

  Rushing down the steps, I grabbed her and kissed her. Walking her back, I pushed her against the wall and went to grab a breast but stopped. Quickly taking a step back, I wiped my mouth off.

  “Thank God!” Annie gasped.

  “Gross! Son-of-a-bitch!” I said as trembled at the thought of what I had done.

  With a look of horror over her face, she shook her head. “That was disgusting.”

  “Hey!” I exclaimed.

  Snarling her lip, she punched me on the chest. “What in the fuck did you that for? Blah!”

  She frantically wiped her tongue off with her fingers.

  “It wasn’t that bad, well except for the part where it felt like I was kissing my own sister.”

  Annie shuddered. “I’ll give you one thing, your dirty talk and that kiss … I see why you’re a manwhore, but don’t you ever try to kiss me again, or I’ll cut your dick off.”

  There was the girl I talked into jumping out of the barn loft together and we both broke one of our legs. My best friend who I taught how to gut a deer and convinced her into tasting the blood, after all it was what real hunters did on their first kill.

  Letting out a frustrated groan, I sat down on the bottom step. Annie sat next to me.

  “Since I first met you, Brett, you have captivated me. Not because of your looks or charm. It was your love of living life. You were unstoppable. The dreams you had for yourself kept you soaring. Sometimes leaving your head up in the clouds.”

  Turning to look at her, she frowned. “You have to let her decide for herself, Brett. You’re cutting her out of your life without so much as giving her the chance to know why.”